Embodiments described herein relate generally to an image processing apparatus, an X-ray computed tomography apparatus, and an image processing apparatus and, more particularly, to an image processing apparatus, an X-ray computed tomography apparatus, and an image processing method for organ kinetics using medical images, which obtain motion components between phases from data obtained with time using an X-ray computed tomography apparatus (X-ray CT apparatus), a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus (MRI apparatus), or the like and observe the result.
A method of acquiring, for example, image data of a plurality of respiratory phases in the lung field and confirming the tissue kinetics using an X-ray computed tomography apparatus (X-ray CT apparatus), a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus (MRI apparatus), or the like so as to analyze functions is very effective from the viewpoint of disease diagnosis and early disease finding. The function analysis result is also effective from the viewpoint of automated diagnosis (CAD).
The above-described method of grasping kinetics and calculating quantitative values is practiced in general and has received a great deal of attention for a current apparatus such as a CT or MRI capable of time-serially scanning a wide area.
The conventional result observation methods also include a method of evaluating a color map, multi planar reconstruction (MPR) image, or three-dimensional (3D) image as a moving image.
However, the above-described color map is data created based on entire time information, and information at each timing is lost at the time of display. A moving image of MPR or 3D image is hard to grasp the motion of each part of the object.
The embodiments have been made in consideration of the above-described situation, and has as its object to provide an image processing apparatus, an X-ray computed tomography apparatus, and an image processing method for organ kinetics using medical images, which can easily grasp the motion of each part.